Technical Field
The embodiments herein relate to system and methods that facilitate character inputs on a computer implemented device/handheld device. Particularly, the embodiments herein relate to systems and methods that facilitate characters to be input in Indian languages. More particularly, the embodiments herein relate to a user interface that provides for characters to be input in Indian languages.
Description of the Related Art
A user interface provided on a touch screen based handheld device/computer enabled device typically incorporates a keypad which enables users to input the characters of a given language onto the device. Typically, the alphabets of a given language, for example, English language, are arranged across a plurality of layers. That is, lower case alphabets are arranged on a first layer, and the upper case characters are arranged on a second layer, and the layers are typically toggled using a toggle key or a ‘SHIFT’ key. In a touch screen based keypad, the keys displayed as a part of a particular layer are mapped to the respective characters.
The aforementioned layered keypad arrangement works effectively in case of English language alphabets or any other language based on Latin script, since, in case of these languages, the alphabets are always expressed/input linearly, and since these languages do not provide for joining at least two alphabets to form one alphabet. However, in case of Indian languages, which provide for joining of multiple alphabets to form a single alphabet, the layered keypad is rendered cumbersome.
Typically, an Indian language script is a combination of vowels, consonants, matras, halanta and nukta. A conventional keypad arrangement which follows the layered approach fails to accommodate the entire alphabet set, that is, vowels, consonants, matras, halanta and nukta in a single keypad layer. A user using the conventional keypad arrangement finds it difficult to use the keypad for inputting Indian language alphabets, since he would be required to toggle between more than two keypad layers to input the alphabets.
Further, the conventional keypad layouts for Indian languages are extensions of the keypads designed for English or any Latin Script based language. Such keypad layouts which are primary designed for linear sets of alphabets are not typically suitable for typing Indian language alphabets which provides for joining of two or more alphabets, to form a single alphabet. Further, the layout of the conventional keypads makes typing Indian language alphabets a cumbersome task.
Hence, there is a need for a user interface that is designed keeping in mind the properties of the script it inputs. Further, there is a need for a user interface that is easy to use, and possesses an aesthetic appeal. Still further, there is also a need for a user interface which aesthetically and conveniently accommodated all the alphabets, including vowels, consonants, matras, halanta and modifiers in minimum keypad layers and also provided for easy navigation across the layers.
The shortcomings of the conventional keypad designs and the solution envisaged by the embodiments herein will be explained in detail, in the following sections of the disclosure.